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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2016 VOL. 34 NO. 18 www.presspubs.com $1.00
COUGAR WRESTLING: Eight individuals advance to state. PAGE 8
Representative opposes public preschool expansion BY JOLENE FRID AND SARA MARIE MOORE CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND STAFF WRITER
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Greg Brown displays fried fish made with his secret seasoning recipe.
Fish fry shack opens at Legion BY JOLENE FRID CONTRIBUTING WRITER
LINO LAKES — Entrepreneur Greg Brown had an idea when he noticed a lack of guests at the
for 35 years, so he wanted to channel his passion into business. “People told me I make the best fish ever,” he said. Other than
American Legion: Get permission to start a fish and chicken restaurant within the Legion to feed customers. Brown has been hosting fish fry parties for friends and family
SEE FISH FRY, PAGE 3
Early childhood programming makes a difference BY JOLENE FRID CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Shawn Michalicek plays in the snow.
CIRCLE PINES — Shawn Michalicek has received extensive help from the local Early Childhood Special Education (ECFC) chapter, then the Centennial School District, since he was 18 months old. When the
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kindergartner was just a year old, his mother Angela, a registered nurse, noticed that his behavior wasn’t tracking the same as an average child his age. “He wasn’t trying to talk, and only made sounds,” said SEE EARLY CHILDHOOD, PAGE 3
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CIRCLE PINES — Rep. Linda Runbeck disagrees with a move to make public preschool available for all Minnesota children. “There is a looming issue in front of the Legislature,” Runbeck said. Just after Gov. Mark Dayton was elected, one of the main agenda items he presented was to include preschool universally in public schools. The $173 million initiative, Preschool for All, was a controversy in the Legislature last session. Dayton's veto of an education bill without its inclusion caused the session to extend into the summer. But then he let it slide until the 2016 session. “It would be a major conversion,” said Runbeck, noting that the state is only now adjusting to the new requirement for public schools to have all-day kindergarten programming, which requires more faculty and funds for schools statewide. She said there are many quality options available in the area, and the state has invested a lot of money in the arena of child care for that purpose. “The state has invested in rigorous updates to child care in quality and licensing,” said
Runbeck. “We have a system.” Runbeck was invited to visit Love to Grow On Child Development Center, located in Living Faith Church. During her Feb. 11 visit, she examined quality options for preschool-age child care. Runbeck was impressed by the learning activities she witnessed being implemented for the children, like the play-based methods and the closeness of the students with the teachers. There are woods for the children to play in and gardens as well. “I was really, really impressed by the staff,” she said. “They have such a commitment to the education of children. They’re really, really focused on quality.” Runbeck also said the preschool overhaul is unnecessary due to the resources available to lowincome families for quality child care. “We’ve got a wonderful system for parents to choose from,” she said. “It’s not a broken system. It doesn’t need to be fixed.” As for what lower middle class families who are not eligible for subsidies should do for preschool, Runbeck had no answer. “I'm not prepared to go into the details,” she said.
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